The present invention relates to improvements in a data package assembly, especially applicable to various types of prepaid debit cards associated with a prepaid account. The account is debited as the consumer uses the account to purchase services such as telephone services, or purchase goods, withdraw cash, etc.
In the past there have been two different basic types of structures for data package assemblies. A first type is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,909, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this type of assembly, the data card and the package, respectively, are separately manufactured from different substrates, and thereafter detachably interconnected in such a way that personal identifying indicia (e.g. a PIN number) on the card are concealed by the package. This type of assembly usually displays the data card adequately for the customer""s inspection prior to purchase, while providing a high degree of security for personal identifying indicia. Account activation indicia, such as a magnetic strip or bar code, are usually provided in an exposed position on the package or card so that the prepaid account can be activated at the cash register when the data package assembly is purchased. Due to its multicomponent complexity, however, this type of assembly is not particularly economical to produce.
The second basic type of prior data package assembly is similar except that at least the data card and the package are manufactured jointly from a single substrate, with a line of weakness providing easy detachment of the card from the package. This single-substrate type of data package assembly is normally more economical to produce than the first type, but has the disadvantages of failing to display the card adequately for the customer""s inspection prior to purchase, and/or reducing the security afforded the personal identifying indicia. Examples of this single-substrate type of data package assembly are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,650,209 and 5,921,584 which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of both of the above-described prior types of data package assemblies by providing a simplified assembly which compatibly combines the foregoing advantages of both types.
In a preferred embodiment, the data package assembly comprises a substrate which includes both a panel portion and a data card portion detachable from each other. The data card portion has an exposed face and a concealed face on opposite sides of the substrate, with personal identifying indicia on the concealed face correlated with a prepaid account. The data card portion is folded into an overlapping relationship with the panel portion so that the panel portion faces the concealed face of the data card portion and thereby conceals the personal identifying indicia without requiring folding of the panel portion. The data card portion is detachably retained in overlapping relationship with the panel portion, at least a major portion of the exposed face of the data card portion being visibly exposed.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.